If you like to use North Texas toll roads but you aren't as keen on paying your bill, consider yourself warned.
Failing to pay up could result in problems getting on the road for even more people.
Per capita, Collin County residents leads the way in unpaid toll fees, with 3,682 cases per 100,000 people.
Denton County and Dallas County aren't too far behind, with 3,394 and 3,173 per 100,000 people, respectively.
Tarrant County residents are skipping toll bills less than half the rate of Collin County at 1,624 per 100,000 people.
Most are already subject to having your registration renewal blocked and now even more drivers will be subject to the rules.
This week, officials in Collin County agreed to begin blocking registration renewals starting on Sept. 1.
The change is aimed at habitual offenders, nicknamed “toll scofflaws” by the NTTA. They’re considered people who have 100 or more unpaid tolls who have been notified of non-payment at least twice in the past year, but refuse to pay.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Drivers will be notified their renewal is blocked on their renewal notice from the state.
If they try to renew, online or in person, they'll be forced to pay up before a renewal is issued.
Seven counties in North Texas enforce the rule for years.
Collin County Tax Assessor Ken Maun tells NBC 5 he waited to adopt the change until his office was fully staffed, which should happen in August.
Registration blocks begin in Collin County on Sept. 1.
NTTA spokesperson Michael Rey says 92 percent of drivers pay their toll fees with no problem. He says his office often hears complaints from paying drivers about those who don’t.
“The big crux here is that a lot of folks have obviously chosen to game the system to use the road and they don't think that they'll be any consequence for that. Now there is,” Rey said.
NTTA pays $5.24 per registration block executed – money Maun says will be used to hire three additional employees.
| County Name | 2016 Vehicle Registration Block | Per 100K Population | 2017 Jan-April | 2017 Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 76,651 | 3,173 | 13,880 | 41,640 |
| Tarrant | 30,037 | 1,624 | 9,549 | 28,647 |
| Collin | 29,144 | 3,682 | 7,995 | 23,985 |
| Denton | 23,299 | 3,394 | 8,364 | 25,092 |
| Rockwall | 2,349 | 2,890 | 816 | 2,448 |
| Johnson | 2,285 | 1,496 | 746 | 2,238 |
| Ellis | 1,434 | 939 | 427 | 1,281 |
| Grayson | 1,288 | 1,061 | 418 | 1,254 |
| Total | 166,487 | 42,195 | 126,585 |
